The automotive industry is getting its first rear inflatable seat belts, courtesy of Ford Motor Company. Located in the back seats, the design is built to add extra protection to passengers of the rear by combining the air bag with traditional seat belts. Aimed to protect the likes of children and older occupants more than the average middle-aged driver, the belts were first seen in the 2011 Explorer and so far, almost 40 percent of the buyers have opted for the feature. Right alongside those Ford owners who liked the design is the science and technology magazine, Popular Mechanics, who awarded the inflatable seat belts with a Breakthrough Product trophy.
“Ford’s goal is to develop innovative safety technologies that give our customers more peace of mind, so it is a great honor to receive the Breakthrough Technology Award,” says Srini Sundararajan, safety technical leader for Ford Research and Innovation. “I thank Popular Mechanics for recognizing the contributions of a number of dedicated engineers from Ford.” In the event of an accident, the rear seat belts will deploy a compact airbag around the chest of an occupant. The idea is to keep passengers less likely to ‘escape’ the restraints of the seat belt and to offer extra support so bruising is less of an issue.
Source: Ford
